Update for ‘Familia Leaders Ousted by the Legion’
QUESTION TO REGAIN:
What is Happening with Familia? Now that Archbishop Flynn has banned the Legion and Regnum Christi from the diocese of Minneapolis/St. Paul, does this mean that Familia, which was growing there as elsewhere, will have to go?
REGAIN REPLIES:
Although the founders of Familia, Paul and Libbie Sellors, have not been in contact with Regain, nor are they members of Regain, the situation surrounding the end of Familia in Minneapolis/St.Paul is fairly well-known, at least in the Twin Cities area. When (and if) Regain receives an official statement from the Sellors, it will be published. In the meantime, we will print what Regain has learned from reliable sources, who ask not to be named, who know the history and current status of Familia follows, with links to various sites.
BRIEF HISTORY OF FAMILIA
(both the name and the program) was founded in the early 1990s and owned by Libbie and Paul Sellors. The Sellors were directors of Familia until it was hijacked 3 years ago in 2001 by the Legion. The Sellors had worked tirelessly for several years in an effort to distribute their program through the network of Regnum Christi, the Legion preemptorily took over the administration of Familia. Shortly after this hostile take-over, the Legion dismissed the Sellors without any compensation and dis-invited them from Regnum Christi.(see Regain article: Familia Founders Ousted; Kept Hush_Hush http://www.regainnetwork.org/article.php?a=47245759)
MISSION OF FAMILIA
Familia is an apostolate created by the laity for the laity. It was always the intention of the lay founders that their work of apostolate should be an instrument to bring the teachings of the Church to the laity and thus strengthen the Church and, with it, the Domestic Church.
PURPOSE OF THE HOSTILE TAKE OVER.
Since the take over by the Legionaries, FAMILIA has increasingly become a method of recruiting the unsuspecting participants to Regnum Christi and their children to ConQuest/Challenge and the Legion’s apostolic schools.[‘Medio abierto de captacion’,i.e., ‘an Open Means of Recruitment’, in LC/RC parlance]
* The Legion not only looks to FAMILIA to build its ranks but also for its economic success which is now considerable.
* The Legion uses FAMILIA
to promote itself as helping bishops evangelize their flock.
* The Legion needs FAMILIA
now more than ever to counter the statement of Archbishop Harry Flynn in Minnesota. FAMILIA will build more sympathy for the movement and the Legion than anything else the Legion has because it is so effective. The Legion can’t afford to let go of it.
LEGAL RECOURSE BY THE FOUNDERS
* The Sellors have a case against the Legion in Federal Court to try to once again obtain control of their work.
THE LAY APOSTOLATE GOES ON IN “TOGETHER!”
* Meanwhile the Sellors continue to work in their mission to strengthen the faithful. They have recently formed a new company called Together! and have completed their first program. They have several more in the works. You can learn more by accessing their website at http://www.togetherinc.com/